Gra

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s K-2 Leader Guide

STORY AT A GLANCE

Supplies:

Holy MolyDVD

Holy MolyLeaflets

Holy MolyBible Storybooks

Chenille Craft Stems

Scissors Clear Tape

Book of Isaiah• Philip overhears the

Ethiopian reading Isaiah 53:7-8 aloud, part of the song of the Suffering Servant. Christians have long believed this passage predicted Jesus’ life.

• One of the most important Old Testament books for Christians. Jesus and the authors of the Gospels frequently quote it.

Candace, Queen of the Ethiopians• Queen of the kingdom of Meroe,

south of Egypt.

• Ethiopia was considered distant and exotic—the far edge of the world. Called Cush in the Old Testament and Nubia by the Romans.

• Candace is the queen’s title, not her name.

Spirit of the Lord• Guides Philip through

his ministry with the help of an angel who points Philip down the road to Gaza (Acts 8:26).

• Transports Philip to Azotus (modern day Ashdod, an Israeli city along the Mediterranean) as soon as he has baptized the Ethiopian.

Philip the Evangelist• 1 of 7 men appointed by

the apostles to help them spread the gospel and administer the young church (Acts 6:2-6).

• Not the same person as Philip the Apostle. Sometimes referred to as Philip the Deacon.

• Notable for converting many people in a Samaritan city, including a famous magician named Simon (Acts 8:4-13).

• Later hosts Paul in his own home, where he lives with his 4 prophetic daughters (Acts 21:8-9).

PhILIP and thE EthIoPIan

Gra

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s K-2 Leader Guide

KEY VERSE The [Ethiopian] said, “Look, here is water! What is to prevent me from being baptized?”

acts 8:36

We need each other’s help to understand God’s Word.

Ethiopian treasurer• Servant in charge of the

Ethiopian queen’s treasury.

• Probably a “God-fearer,” a gentile familiar with the God of Israel.

• Traveling on a deserted road between Jerusalem and Gaza on his way home from a pilgrimage to Israel.

• Invites Philip into his chariot, eagerly asks questions, and takes charge of his own baptism.

• 1 of the first gentile converts to Christianity.

Put Philip and the Ethiopian in the chariot to go for a ride!

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CLoSInG PRaYER

Fewer kids?Provide easy books that kids can use to help each other read. Offer guidance, if needed. Suggest using the pictures to understand what’s happening in the story. Make sure everyone can contribute, reading the words or “reading” the pictures.

More time?Make scrolls with 2 in. x 4 in. printer paper rectangles. Kids can write messages or draw pictures on them, roll them up, and place them in their chariots.

More kids?Have kids work in groups. While 1 group makes chariots with a leader another colors horses or reads books. Switch when chariots are complete.

dear God,Sometimes we need help understanding all kinds of things, including your Word! thank you for sending people to teach us about your love. then we can help others understand and love you, too!

amen!

Less time?Pre-cut chariots, people, and horses.

ACTIVITY TIPS

Grades K-2. Philip and the Ethiopian Leader Guide. Holy Moly. wearesparkhouse.org. © 2013 sparkhouse. All rights reserved. May be reproduced for local use only provided each copy carries this notice.

holy Moly!Philip helped the Ethiopian understand the Bible, our story about God’s love. Later the Ethiopian helped the queen. God helps us help each other.

• Where do you go to learn about Jesus and God?

• What questions do you have about God’s Word, the Bible?

• Who can you help understand God’s Word?

Stapler

ContInUES...

(10-15 min.)

(5-10 min.) (5-10 min.)

dISCoVER

RELatE ConnECt

(20-30 min.)

CREatE

Cut the leaflet in half and then cut out the chariot piece.

1

Fold the chariot in half along the center dotted line.

3

Get ReadyKids this age work hard to make sense of things they encounter, from simple to sophisticated. On paper (or whiteboard), draw and print the following sets of images. Reveal the sets 1 at a time, keeping in mind that kids are at different reading levels. Provide whatever help they need as they try to figure out the meaning of what they see.

1. Pictures: tree, ball, sun, happy face, car, spider.

2. Letters: A, B, C, X, Y, Z.

3. Words: cat, dog, look, see, ball, or kids’ names.

4. Sentences: I can help. Jesus loves me. Let’s play games.

Encourage cooperation, but ask kids who are good readers to wait and let others try before helping them understand.

Introduce the Characters• The Ethiopian queen needs help understanding what she’s

reading. She wants to know more about the God of Israel.

• Her servant is learning about the God of Israel, too, but he cannot answer the queen’s questions yet.

• Philip tells people about God’s love. He helps many people believe in Jesus.

• The Holy Spirit shows Philip where to travel to find those who want to learn.

Watch how the holy Spirit guides Philip

from place to place.

If time permits, watch it again!

Play the Philip and the Ethiopian Video

talk about the Philip and the Ethiopian Video• Why didn’t the queen understand what she was

reading? Who helped her?

• Where did her servant go for help?

• I wonder how Philip felt when the Holy Spirit told him to go to the Ethiopian.

• How did Philip help the Ethiopian make sense of what he read? This probably was the first time anyone had told him about Jesus.

• What surprised you about how the Ethiopian responded when Philip helped him understand the scroll?

• What did Philip do with the Ethiopian in the water?

open the holy Moly Bible StorybookRead Great Good News on pages 7-12.

• Where did God send Philip?

• What did Philip help the Ethiopian understand? Do you think that the queen and others will soon hear about Jesus, too?

• The Ethiopian wanted to be baptized. Have you been baptized?

• I wonder what it was like for Philip to be snatched away by God.

• Philip shared God’s good news with the Ethiopian. Who can you share God’s good news with?

Go-Go ChaRIot: Kids create chariots like the one Philip and the Ethiopian were in while they talked about Jesus.

Fold the brown triangles along the dotted lines.

2

Fold the horses in half at their heads and then fold

up the hoof tabs. tape them together close to their tails. Fold the bases of the other figures forward and back

so they stand.

6

Cut out Philip, the Ethiopian, and the double horse piece. Be careful not to cut the 2 horses apart at their heads.

5

Position the triangles carefully on top of each other inside the chariot.

Staple them in place.

4holy Moly!Give kids time to imagine, and help them reflect.

• What is your favorite way to travel?

• What is the fastest way you can imagine traveling? The slowest?

• Philip doesn’t travel by chariot in the story. How does he travel instead? What must that have been like?

Cut a chenille craft stem in half. tape 1 end of each half on a horse and the other end of

each on the chariot, in the tape here spaces.

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